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Washington Evening Journal
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Washington, IA 52353
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The war on 34 is on!
Mt. Pleasant, Fairfield fight with playoffs hanging in the balance
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FAIRFIELD — Bragging rights in the Highway 34 rivalry isn’t all that is up for grabs on Friday night at Fairfield High School.
The Trojans will host Mt. Pleasant in another chapter of the historic neighborly battle, and this time the postseason is on the line for both teams.
At the end of the night, either Fairfield or Mt. Pleasant could see its name on the Class 3A playoff bracket … or the two teams could knock each other out instead.
The Panthers come into the game 6-2 overall and 3-1 in the district, needing a win to clinch second place alone and catapult the team into the playoff field. Fairfield, at 3-5 overall and 2-2 in the district, can still get in with a victory, and a little help.
Last year’s game, also at FHS, saw Mt. Pleasant walk it off on an extra point in overtime, beating Fairfield in the season opener 13-12, and snapping a three-game Trojan win streak in the rivalry.
Before that, Mt. Pleasant had won four in a row, ending when the Trojans knocked the Panthers off 27-18 at Mapeleaf Athletic Complex in 2021.
The ground game should be key for both teams. Fairfield had rushed for a fantastic 2,451 yards and 29 touchdowns this season, while Mt. Pleasant has run for 1,337 yards and 20 scores.
Fairfield’s Ethan Bisgard has over 1,000 yards of total offense this season, rushing for 947 and 12 touchdowns while racking up 175 yards and two scores through the air.
Meanwhile, Ramzy Davis has rumbled along for 623 yards and 10 scores to lead the Panthers.
Mt. Pleasant does have the clear advantage in the passing game. Junior gunslinger Grayson Walker has completed 66 of 105 passes for 900 yards and nine scores. On the other end, Voss Richardson has thrown for 383 and seven scores, while also rushing for 281 yards and two touchdowns.
The Panther defense had been dominant in district play, b ut has slipped up the last two weeks, allowing 34 points to Keokuk and 35 to Solon. Fairfield has been the opposite, seeing the defense give up 42 combined over the last two weeks after getting gashed for most of the season.
If the Panthers can win, they are in. If Fairfield pulls it out, the Trojans need either Washington to lose in Keokuk, or for the math of a three-way tiebreaker to swing their way. In that case, the Trojans would need to win the game by at least 11 points.
